In today’s fast-paced world, people are striving to break down both physical and intangible barriers, including language barriers, geographical distance, and physical limitations. Technology has been a powerful tool to aid this process, and Autodesk is one of the companies at the forefront of this change. With its software, cloud-based platforms, blogs, forums, and more, Autodesk is committed to breaking down barriers, and promoting diversity and inclusion while empowering its users to succeed.

Getting closer to others.

Technology has not only brought people closer but has also improved inclusion in various situations. With the advancement of technology, individuals who speak different languages, have disabilities, and are non-physical in the same place can connect and communicate with each other regardless of their differences and limitations. This has made it possible for people to be included in situations where they may have felt excluded in the past.

Autodesk is a company with over 100 million users and around 13,700 employees all around the globe. The company is playing a significant role in breaking down barriers by ensuring that users, employees, and key role players from America, Asia, Europe, and more can use the same software without any difficulty or differences. Moreover, Autodesk’s diverse workforce, comprising individuals from all over the world, is always ready to assist users globally, eliminating any actual barriers.

Autodesk is willing to grow its community on-site and online that’s why “Communities can be found in all kinds of forms, including online forums, social media groups, or even in-person gatherings. These groups provide a sense of belonging and connection for their members.“ (Autodesk, 2020). Furthermore, the Autodesk Community connects users from around the world and helps nearly 1 million people every month approximately.

In addition, Autodesk researchers have found that users all over the world “connect with fellow innovators to challenge their thinking, advance their skills, strategy, and business, and to access both our physical and virtual spaces to do so” said Rick Rundell, Senior Director of Research Programs at Autodesk (Rundell, 2022).

Covid-19: Before and After.

When we reflect on the past, we often remember our daily commutes to our on-site jobs, interacting with our peers and colleagues in person every day of the week. However, in the present, we have a different reality as we are now able to connect with people from all around the world, not just our immediate work team.

Ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been utilizing various technologies to remain connected despite the physical distance, including in our workspaces. We have replaced traditional office meeting rooms with digital ones that allow us to stay in touch even when we are located in different parts of the world.

Autodesk has a clear thinking on how the pandemic changed the world, as Andrew Anagnost stated “Connectivity has never been more important. When the pandemic emerged, two-thirds of people in the United States who could work remotely did. Now, that’s leveled off at a new normal with 45% of remote-capable jobs being performed out of the office at least part of the time (and 25% fully remote). This evolution of work requires a shift to a new paradigm. The cloud has become the new collaboration space, whether colleagues are in the office next door or on the other side of the world.” (Anagnost, 2022)

The cloud-based world

Autodesk’s diverse portfolio of cloud-based software connects people worldwide, enabling users from different parts of the world to work in the same space, share information and knowledge, and interact in different ways. This helps the construction industry and other sectors to collaborate and access the same information, regardless of their location.

(Photo)”On a platform, people, processes, and data are connected in an open ecosystem.” (Anagnost, 2022)

Cloud-based environments not only help connect people but in Andrew Anagnost, Autodesk CEO words “Cloud-based platforms connect people to processes and data in a common and open collaborative ecosystem, where work becomes more efficient and innovative.” (Anagnost, 2022) as he mentions in his article “Creators Unite! Cloud-Based Platforms Connect People, Processes, and Data”. Furthermore, Andrew mentions “The best platforms are open, collaborative environments that bring data, people, and processes together. They are the pinnacle of digital transformation, and they’re on track to disrupt the status quo and change the world.” (Anagnost, 2022)

Conclusion

It is evident that the world is moving towards greater connectivity, and technology companies are playing a key role in this development. Autodesk is a prime example of one such company that is constantly seeking out the latest innovations and incorporating them into its software to enhance connectivity and inclusivity for all users, regardless of their location, race, or physical abilities.

Therefore, as Andrew Anagnost would say “With a common data experience, people can brainstorm and have that energizing back-and-forth that ignites new ideas. Collaborators can be literally anywhere, enabling contribution from a diversity of stakeholders with different visions.” (Anagnost, 2022)

Let’s connect and grow together!